Dental saliva ejectors



Aug. 27, 1963 H. A. BAUGHAN DENTAL SALIVA EJECTORS Filed June 1, 1961 ATTORNEY pant to rest upon the floorweight or depress the mouth tissue (to eliminate contact z designate like parts throughout 3,101,545 DENTAL SALIVA EJECTORS Herbert A. Baughan, 106 E. Main St, Avon Park, Fla.

Filed June 1, 1961, Ser. No. 114,183

1 Claim. (CI. 32-33 Thisinvention relates to improvements dental saliva ejectors.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a saliva ejector which will efiectively remove saliva from the mouth of the patient without clogging and without discomfort to the patient by drawing the delicate mouth tissueinto the suction openings of the device.

A further object isfto provide a saliva e ector having a of the mouth and slightly with the suction openings of the ejector.

A further object is to provide a saliva ejector having improved suction relief means to completely eliminate the possibility of creating a :greater than desirable degree of suction within the ejector in the event of blockage of certain suction openings with foreign. matter or the like.

A. further and more general object istopnovide an improved dental saliva-ejector which will-enable the dentist by using the device to perform a dental prophylaxis rapid- 1y .and'eflieient-ly wi houtlthenecessity for'frequent intemlptions while the patient. expectoratea: due to the fact that the saliva ejector'is capable of withdrawing from the mouth all of the excess saliva, water and pumice slurry without cloggingi 1 1 Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during thecourse of the following description. I v In the; accompanying drawingsfonminig a part of this application and in which like numerals are'ernployed to the same,

FIGURE 1 is a perspec 've view of a dental-saliva ejector in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a central-vertical cross section partly in elevation through the mouthengaging end of the saliva ejector,

, FIGURE B-is a shown in FIGURE '2, 1

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary central vertical section through a modified form of saliva ejector according to the-invention.

bottom plan'viewv of the ejector as ice , 2 the adjacent portion of the suction relief tube 16 are prefenably enclosed in resilient plastics material 19 or thelike, which maybe in'the rfionrn of a heavy coating or a sepearately formed sleeve applied over the tubes 12 and 16. The purpose f the covering 19' is to enhance the comfort of the patient by preventing direct contact of the teeth with either of the rnetallic'tubes of the device. i

A metallic sleeve or cylinder 20 surrounds the vertical extension13 of 1 e unain suction tube 10, and this cylinder is upright and includes a top wall 21 having an opening 22 receiving the tube extension 13 therethrough, the latter being secured therein in a fluid tight manner by soldering or the like as :at- 23. The bottom end of the cylinder 20 is open and tenminates slightly below the bottom end 14 off-tube extension 1-3 and is preferably slotted as at 24 at. a multiplicity of circumferentially equidistantly spaced points around the cylinder. It is preferred to provide tour of the slots 24 in the bottom end of the cylinder 20 as shown. The cylinder 20 surrounds and encloses the tube section 13 below the hook lilce-portion 12 and the tube section 13 is disposed eccentrically within the upright cylinder 20 adjacent to one side wall portion thereof as best shown in FIGURE 2. One upper corner portion of the cylinder 20 may, if preferred, be recessed or cut away as at 25 to provide enally vertical portion 17 of suction reliefvtube 16 close tothe tubesection 13, FIGUREZ. The suction relief tube portion 17- is fixedly secured to the cut-away portion of the cylinder 20 in a'lluid tight manner b'ysoldcring or the like; The cylinder 20 is therefore closed or irnperforate except at its lower end providedwith the slots 24.

An outer-upwardly conically tapered sleeve 26 provided same and in direct communication with the open end In thedrawings, wherein for the purposeof illustrationare shown preferred embodiments of the invention, attention is directed first to FIGURES l'through 3,wherein the numeral 10 designates a preferably metallic substantially rigid main suction tube adapted for'conne'ction at its lower end with a flexiblehose" 11 leading to a suitable suction source, not shown. The main suction tube.- 10 includes a hook-like "top portion :12 for ready engagement over the lower lip' and lower incisor teeth, and the portion 12 of the main suction tube carries a depending generally vertical (mouth-engaging extension 13', disposed inside of the month during theuse of the device and hav- 7 ing its open end 14 terminating near. and above the floor of the mouth and preferably slotted diametrically as at 15.

A suction relief tubeld ofoonsidralble length parallels the hook-like portion 12 of main suction tube wand is permanently secured thereto in any suitable manner, as the like. The suction I relief tube 16 has its outer open "of the mou-th during use. and the. generally vertical. mouth- 'enflgaging end portion-17 of the suction relief tube terr'ninates a substantial distance above the end 14 of the main suction. tube as shown in FIGURE 2. The lower end 18 ofthe suction relief tube is fullyopen.

end 17 disposed well outside K The hook-like portion 12 of the main suction tube'and 5' secured by soldering or and incisor teeth 18 of'suction relief tube 16. The open end 18 of suction relief tube 16 is near the'top of the chamber= 29, indicated. The chamber 29 is also in communication with the interior of the cylinder 20 through the slots 24, and

' indirectly in communication with the bore of extension .13 of the main suction tube. v

The bottom end of the perforated sleeye 26 is covered and closed by a slightly weighted generally that circular plate or disc '30, having a flat top face 31 engaging and covering the lower open end of cylinder 20. The lower .end 14 of tube section I13 is spaced somewhat above the upper flat face 31 of disc '30, FIGURE 2. The disc 30 is the-like in a fluid tight manner at 3 2 to the lower end of sleeve 26. The circumferential edge3-3 of disc 30 is preferably smoothly roundedso that no sharp corners or edges will contact the delicate mouth tissue.- The bottom of the disc 30 is adapted to rest flush upon the floor of the mouth, inwardlyof the lower gum as shown diagrammatically in] FIG- In -use,'the saliva ejector is introduced into the patients mouth in the manner described and shown generally in FIGURE 2. The outer open end'*17 of the suction relief tube/16 extends fully outside of the mouth so 'thatthe patient cannot cover or block the suctionrelieftube with his lips, tongue or otherwise. Thedisc 30hmay rest on the floor of the mouth, assuggested, or may be" slightly elevated therefrom in some instances'due to'engagement of the lower inci'sorrteeth with theThook-like'portion 12 for the passage of the genthe outer sleeve 26 i s-spaced of the main suction tube having the plastics covering 19. In any event, the relatively'broad circular disc 30 will depress or hold down the soft mouth tissue so that the same will not tend to be drawn upwardly into direct contact'with'the perforated sleeve 26.

When suction'is applied to the main suction tube by wayof the hose .11, the saliva in the mouth will be drawn through the perforations 27 intothe suction chamber 29. From this chamber, the salivawill be drawn through the slots 24- into the lower portion of the cylinder and then into the lower open end of the suction tube portion in connection with the first I construction in FIGURE 4 is somewhat simpler in cer- 13 and upwardly therethrough for complete ejection through the main suction tube. It has been discovered thatthe cylinder 20 and the slots 15 in the lower end of tube section 13 increase the efficiency of operation of the device.

Obviously, the tongue, lingual side 'of'the lower gum or other mouth tissue cannot directly 'close or block the lower end '14 of the main suction tube, bccause'the latter is fully enclosed and shielded by the disc 34), perforated sleeve 26 and associated elements. Should the tongue, soft mouth tissue, pumice slurry or other foreign matter clogall of the perforations 27 of outer sleeve 26', and should the degree of suction within the chamber 29 exceed desirable limits, this suction is immediately relieved through the 'relief tube 16, thereby rendering it impossible to exert fan uncomfortable and sometimes damaging force upon tain respects from the construction in FIGURE 1 and provides a very neat appearance and clean design by having the suction re suction tube. p I

It is to, be understood ,that thejforms of the invention herewith shown and described are tobe taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size. and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from'the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoi ned'claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A dental salivia ejector comprising a main suction tube for connection with a suction' hose leading to a source of suction pressure and having a hook-like extension engagea ble over the lower incisor teeth, a depending integralv tube extension on the hook-like extension of the main suction tube disposed within the mouth during use inwardly of the lower incisor teeth and terminating near and above the floor of the mouth and having its lower end open, a suction relief tube paralleling the hook-like extension and said depending extension of the main suction tube and fixedly secured to the hook-like extension and having a first open end disposedentirely outside of the mouth during use and a second open-end disposed, inside the soft mouth tissue or tongue coming in contact with the p perforated sleeve 26. It is very unlikely that many of the multiple perforations 27 would ever become clogged completely at the same time, but should this occur, the suction will be relieved instantly, as stated.

In FIGURE 4, there is shown a slight modification of the saliva ejector, wherein the main suction'tube 34 has asomewhat larger diameter than the tube '10, but includes the same generally hook-like upper portion 35, preferably covered as at 36 with suitable plastics or other resilient material for the purpose previously specified; The main suction tube 34 has a substantially vertical depending mouth-engaging cylindrical terminal portion 37 integral therewith having its lower open end slotted at 38v in a manner similar to the slotting of the previously-described cylinder 20. An outer perforated upwardly conically tapered sleeve 39 surrounds the tube portion 37 concentrically and has its upper end firmly secured thereto in a fluid tight manner by soldering or the like as at 40. The lower flared end of the sleeve 39 terminates level with the lower end'of tube portion 37 and is secured by soldering at 41 to a'fiat disc or plate 42, substantially identical to the previously-described disc 30'. The upper hat face 43 of disc 42 abuts or covers the bottom open end of tube portion 37, as shown. A concentric annular upwardly tapering suction chamber 44- is formed between the sleeve 39 and vertical'tubeportion 37, as shown in the drawings.

In theembodirnent shown in FIGURE 4, a suction relief tube 45 similar in length and function to the tube 16 extends inside of the main suction tube 34 and paralleling the hook-like portion thereof andt'ixedly secured thereto in any-suitable 'rnanner. The outer open end 4-6 of suction relief tube 45 extends fully outside of the month during the use of the device as described in connection withthe first form of the invention. The opposite end 47 of the suction relief tube 45 is also open and com municates directly with the top portion of the upwardly tapering suction chamber 44. The opposite end portionsof the mouth and directed downwardly and spaced considenably above the lower end of'said depending tube extension, a covering of resilient material substantially 'enclosing'jsaidhook-like extension and suction relief tube to prevent direct contact of the hook-like extension with the lower incisor teeth, an upright cylinder of considerably larger diameter than the depending-tube extension and surrounding the latter eccentrically. and having a closed top wall: and anopen lower end provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially 'spaced transverse slots, the lower end of said cylinder projecting somewhat below the lower end of said depending tube extension, said cylinder top wall having an opening receiving-said depending tube 1 extension and fixedly secured thereto ina fluid tight manner, said second open'end'of the suction relief tube disposed exteriorly of the side 'wall of said'cylinder intermediate the top and bottom thereof, a perforated upstanding sleeve surrounding said cylinder and suction relief tube and having an upper end secured in fluid tight engagement to the cylinder and suction relief tube near and above the second open end of the suction relief tube and below the top wall of the cylinder; the lower end of said sleeve terminating substantiallyflush with the lower end of said cylinder, said sleeve fi aringdownwardly to provide a generally annular suction chamberaround said cylinder and belowsaid second open end of the suction relief tube, "a

weighted substantially flat disc element having a top face I abutting the lower end'of said cylinder and secured near its periphery in a fluid tight manner to the lower end of said sleeve and havinga bottom face engageable with the floor'of the mouth to depress the mouth tissue underlying the saliva ejector, the top face of said disc element spacedfrom the lower open end of said depending tube extension; 1

References Cited inthe file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,062

Groshans Ian. 4, 1916 1,345,606 Leonard July 6, 1920 1,447,020. Grunberg Feb. 27, 1923 1,698,331 Gunter Jan. 8, 1929 12,504,557 Lum ian 'Apr. 18, 1950 2,637,106 Otis -L May 5, 1953 i 2,950,533 Sommerstein' Aug. 30, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS a 444,852. Germany Aug. 1,1924 456,483 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1936 form ofthe invention. The

lief tube 45-disposed inside of the main 

